Whataya Want From Me

Album: For Your Entertainment (2009)
Charted: 53 10
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This new-wave-ish ballad was penned by Pink, along with Swedish hitmakers Max Martin and Johan Shellback. It was originally earmarked for Pink's Funhouse album, but didn't make it onto the record.
  • Lambert told Entertainment Weekly: "It works on a relationship level, but I also relate to the sense of talking to the public. Like, 'This whole thing's a little freaked out, but please have faith in me, because I won't disappoint you.'"
  • In 2010 Pink's recording was included on her first greatest hits compilation, Greatest Hits… So Far!!!. Much of the instrumentation is the same as on Lambert's version, however she tweaked the chorus, changing it from "It messed me up" to "He messed me up."
  • Lambert recalled to The Hollywood Reporter: "I recorded 'Whataya Want From Me' on a day off from the Idols Live Arena tour and I was pretty wiped out due to the show schedule. I knew the song would be a key track on my album and it was my first time working with the incredible Max Martin and Shellback, so I was a bit apprehensive. The vocal ad libs at the end were the most challenging as they are quite high and it had been a long day. When I heard the first mix, I felt really confident the song would have success thanks to the flawless production."

Comments: 2

  • Carrie from Roanoke, VaI've come to associate American Idol with cheesy, overproduced pop singers who can't actually sing, so when I heard this song, I was surprised to learn that it was sung by AI alum Adam Lambert. The catchy, retro sound stays in your head, and the lyrics are relatable. It reminds me of my crush, because I don't know how he feels about me, and sometimes I wish I could just say, "Whataya want from me?"
  • Camille from Toronto, OhI'm not an "Idol" fan, but this first song of Lambert's, released after he famously came in as 1st runner up on the show, has a catchy tune and common phrase "Whataya want from me?" that stick in your head after you hear it.Who hasn't uttered that phrase at some point in their life? You gotta love Adam's passionate voice. It's interesting that Pink wrote the song; it's definitely something I could hear her singing.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Classic Metal

Classic MetalFact or Fiction

Ozzy, Guns N' Roses, Judas Priest and even Michael Bolton show up in this Classic Metal quiz.

Hardy

HardySongwriter Interviews

The country hitmaker talks about his debut album, A Rock, and how a nursery rhyme inspired his hit single "One Beer."

Black Sabbath

Black SabbathFact or Fiction

Dwarfs on stage with an oversize Stonehenge set? Dabbling in Satanism? Find out which Spinal Tap-moments were true for Black Sabbath.

Kevin Godley

Kevin GodleySongwriter Interviews

Kevin Godley talks about directing classic videos for The Police, U2 and Duran Duran, and discusses song and videos he made with 10cc and Godley & Creme.

Dean Friedman - "Ariel"

Dean Friedman - "Ariel"They're Playing My Song

Dean's saga began with "Ariel," a song about falling in love with a Jewish girl from New Jersey.

History Of Rock

History Of RockSong Writing

An interview with Dr. John Covach, music professor at the University of Rochester whose free online courses have become wildly popular.